A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to commercial kitchen utensils. More particularly, the present invention provides a device which is detachably attached to a steam table pan, for removing a pan from its receptacle on a steam table, carrying the pan and its contents to different locations without sloshing the contents onto the carrying individual, and manipulating pan to tilt the pan to strain liquids from the pans by a single individual while retaining solid material in the pan.
B. Description of the Related Art
This invention is directed to use in the commercial food preparation industry, in which large quantities of food are prepared for large groups of people to be served in an "assembly line" or buffet fashion. Such situations include, but are not limited to, catering services, hotels, schools, conventions, parties, and other large gatherings of similar nature.
Typically, the food served commercially in a serving line or in buffet fashion is contained in rectangular, stainless steel pans, commonly known as steam pans or hotel pans. These pans are of a standard size known to the food industry. A steam table is a device for keeping the contents of the pans warm. It consists of a shallow tank for holding a quantity of hot, steaming water and a surface into which several standard rectangular holes are cut. The holes on the surface of the steam table engage the flanges of the steam pans so that the bottoms of the steam pans are immersed in the bath of hot water to warm the pan and its contents. If the pan is of the same size as the rectangular opening, then steam cannot escape from between the flange of the pan and the surface of the steam table. However, when the pan is lifted out of the rectangular opening, the accumulated steam will escape and possibly scald the unwary food handler.
The openings in the surface of the steam tables are of a standard size, and the steam pans are thus constructed of standard, modular sizes to fit these openings. The largest size fits exactly into the standard opening of the steam table and the remaining sizes consist of half, third, fourth, and sixth sizes which, when several sizes are appropriately configured, will fill the standard opening.
These pans typically contain solid food in a liquid broth which keeps the solid food heated without burning. Several problems arise in the course of manipulating these pans when they are filled almost to the brim with hot food. First, the pans are hot so that a standard pot holder, towel, or other cloth must be used to carry the pan so as to prevent the heat from injuring the carrier. Care must be taken to prevent edge of the towel from contacting the food, thus contaminating it.
Second, when the pans are residing in the steam table, the flanges of the pan are flush with the steam table so that it is difficult to get fingers or other implements under the flange to lift the pan out of the table. Knives, spatulas, and other flat objects are employed by food handlers to pry a heavily laden pan from its steam table opening. If a sharp instrument such as a knife is used, then the handler risks injury if the knife should slip.
Third, the steam which escapes from around the flange when the pan is lifted from the table may be concentrated at the initial spot where a lifting force is applied, so that the person performing the lifting operation must take precautions to prevent scalding of the hands.
Fourth, pans are carried by the flanges and, when manipulated, the pan contents tends to slosh and spill. It is well known in the industry that if the point from which a pan is carried is higher than the rim of the pot or pan, there is less chance for sloshing and for spilling the contents, because both pan and contents move back and forth with roughly the same motion.
Fifth, in order to prevent waste of food, the contents of the pan is typically strained and stored for a later occasion. Excess liquid broth must be drained from the pan, while retaining the solid food for future use, e.g. draining water from peas or broth from meat. If the pan is tipped to pour the liquid out from a corner, the food handler risks losing some of the solid food with the drained liquid. A common strainer or colander could be placed in the sink and the contents of a pan poured through such a strainer, but this commonly used process has two disadvantages. The first is that, when one person is performing the straining operation, the strainer must be placed in a sink and the individual must use both hands to pour the contents of the tray through the strainer. However, back splash from the sink may fall on the food which has been dumped into the strainer, resulting in contaminated food. The second is that two people are required for the draining operation if such back splashing is to be avoided, one to hold the strainer at a height above the sink so as to avoid back splash and the other to hold and pour the pan contents into the strainer.
At present, there is no device in common use which can be used to assist food preparation personnel to manipulate these steam pans in an efficient manner. The prior art is replete with all manner of straining devices, but all are limited to circular pots and not to rectangular pans. Some of these straining devices allow the user to carry the pot and serve as a lid as well, but, again, none are applicable to the shallow, commercial food trays used in steam tables. Finally, none appear to specifically address the unique problem associated with the initial lifting of the container from a hot water bath, namely, that of the individual being accidently scalded by steam upon initially lifting the container from the steam table.